Player Rules
Pokepocalypse is a tabletop RPG designed to allow players to adventure through a post-apocalyptic world in the Pokemon Universe. Each player is a pokemon who becomes more powerful and unique as the party overcomes challenges and defeats enemies. The most important detail about the Pokepocalypse universe is that humans have all died out (or have they?), meaning there are no longer any trainers, populated towns, or staffed pokecenters/pokemarts. The players have to survive on their own, within a world of pokemon and without the aid of human masters. The basic rules of Pokepocalypse can be found here: = Choose a Pokemon! = What pokemon do you want to play? Once you've decided what you will be, its time to look at the Character Sheet and begin filling in information. You will want to download your own copy to use on your computer or in your own Google Docs, so it can update itself. Stats: Start first with your pokemon's stats. There are 6 different pokemon stats; to find your pokemon's initial values, go to Bulbapedia and find your pokemon's page. Scroll down the the "Stats" section and look at the "Base Stats" table. The left-most column lists the average stats, which you will be using. Take each stat and divide it by 10, rounding UP. These are your Base Stats in Pokepocalypse, and should be placed within the Base Stats column on your character sheet. Health: Each point of Health gives you 1 hit point. Physical Attack: Each point of Physical Attack gives you an additional offense die when attacking with a Physical ability, and also increases your power points. Physical Defense: Each point of Physical Defense gives you an additional resistance die when attacked with a Physical ability. Special Attack: Each point of Special Attack gives you an additional offense die when attacking with a Special ability, and also increases your power points. Special Defense: Each point of Special Defense gives you an additional resistance die when attacked with a Special ability. Speed: Speed determines your movement speed and each point increases your Evasion and Initiative. Hit Points and Power Points: Hit Points: Your hit points are equal to your level plus your your Health stat and other modifiers. If you have 0 hit points, you are unconscious and can be killed. Power Points: Your power points are equal to your level plus your Attack and Special Attack stats and other modifiers. You expend PP to use your abilities. Advancing Stats: Unlike the normal game, stats in Pokepocalypse do not increase at a steady rate each level. This evens the progression of both player pokemon and enemies, and allows pokemon to be built in unique and roughly equivalent ways. Every 3 levels, you gain: +2 to one stat OR +1 to two different stats. You cannot increase your Speed stat through leveling. On Evolution, you gain: When a pokemon evolves, many of its stats improve. It gains a bonus to each stat equal to the difference between the pre-evolution's average stat and the post-evolution's average stat. = Choose its Abilities! = As a pokemon levels, it gains access to an increasing number of increasingly powerful abilities. When you create your pokemon at level 5, it has access to 2 ability slots. It gains access to additional ability slots at levels 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, and 50. To figure out what abilities your pokemon can fill these slots with, go to Bulbapedia and find your pokemon's page. Scroll down to the "Learnset" section and look at the "By Leveling Up" table. This is the list of abilities you have access to (without needing any kind of unique history or gm approval). In Pokepocalypse you start with two abilities and ultimately have 8 available at a time; you also do not gain access to a new one every few levels as listed on the table. Instead, when a pokemon gains access to a new ability slot it can learn any ability from the indicated Section. Each pokemon's abilities (from the "By Leveling Up" table) are divided into 5 sections. If your pokemon learns an ability before level 21, it is in Section 1. If your pokemon learns an ability before level 41, it is in Section 2. If your pokemon learns an ability before level 61, it is in Section 3. If your pokemon learns an ability before level 81, it is in Section 4. If your pokemon learns an ability before level 100, it is in Section 5. After level 50, your pokemon instead gains the ability to change its ability slots. At levels 60, 70, 80, 90, and 100, you can choose to learn a new ability in place of an ability you already know, chosen from Section 5, Breeding Moves, and TM/HMs. Recording your Abilities: When writing down the abilities you have chosen, remember that while Pokepocalypse uses several different rules. You need to record the following information about each ability: Many of these categories need additional explanation. Physical/Special/Status: Each ability is either a Physical, Special, or Status effect, recorded in shorthand as P, S, or X. A physical ability is usually melee range and (unless noted) uses the attacker's Attack stat and the defender's Defense stat. A special ability usually has a range of 15 feet and (unless noted) uses the attacker's Special Attack stat and the defender's Special Defense stat. A status ability usually has a range of 15 feet and usually deals no direct damage. Unusual Ranges: Some abilities have ranges that are different from the above norms. * Leaps: Most abilities that have increased priority allow the user to move 10 feet before attacking, allowing you to "leap" closer to the target. * Bursts: Some abilities affect all enemies (or all pokemon!) within 15 feet of the user. * Cones: Some abilities affect all enemies (or all pokemon!) within a 15 foot cone. Bonus Effects: A Bonus Effect is anything caused by an ability that is not a Status Effect. Some Bonus Effects occur each time an ability is used, and some only have a chance of occurring. Bonus Effects include things such as: * Critical Hits: Before rolling damage, roll a d20 to see if a critical hit has occurred. A successful critical hit increases the number of Damage Successes by 1.5x. Successful critical hits ignore Attack (or Special Attack) stat reductions and Defense (or Special Defense) stat increases. Abilities do not naturally have Critical Hit chance unless the ability specifically says so. * Flinching: Before rolling damage, roll a d20 to see if the target pokemon has flinched. If a pokemon flinches, it loses its next turn. A pokemon does not have to be faster than its target to make it flinch. Abilities do not naturally have a Flinch chance unless the ability specifically says so. * Infatuated: Infatuated pokemon have a 50% chance to not attack the subject of their infatuation, losing their ability but not wasting the PP. * Stat Modifiers: Some abilities increase or reduce stats. A stat can only be increased or reduced by at most 6. Stat increases and reductions last for a number of rounds based on the ability's PP cost (with cheaper abilities lasting longer): ** 1 PP: Lasts 5 rounds. ** 2 PP: Lasts 4 rounds. ** 3 PP: Lasts 3 rounds. ** 4 PP: Lasts 2 rounds. * Trapping: If a pokemon is Trapped, it cannot move from its current location. This can be caused by effects such as Fire Spin, Wrap, or Mean Look. Ghost are Immune. Status Effects: Status Effects are ongoing maladies caused by some pokemon abilities. Some abilities inflict a Status Effect each time it is used, and some only have a chance of inflicting a Status Effect. The Status Effects are: * Paralyzed: The pokemon's Speed stat is reduced by 1. At the beginning of its turn, it rolls a d20; on 1-5 it loses its turn. * Burned: The pokemon's Attack stat is reduced by 50%. It is dealt 1 damage at the end of its turn. Fire Types are Immune. * Asleep: The pokemon loses 1-4 turns. * Frozen: The pokemon loses its next turn, at the end of which it rolls a d20: On 1-4 the Freeze wears off. Fire damage immediately removes Freeze. A pokemon cannot be Frozen while affected by Sunny Day. Ice Types are Immune. * Confused: At start of the pokemon's turn, it rolls a d20: On 1-10 it attacks itself (auto-hit, 4 damage, normal, physical, 0 PP). After 1-4 self-attacks, the Confusion wears off. * Poisoned: Deals damage at the end of the pokemon's turn equal to 5% of its max HP (minimum 1). Poison and Steel Types are Immune. ** Damage from Toxic increases by the base amount each turn. PP: The PP cost of an ability is based on the PP cost listed on the "By Leveling Up" table: * If the ability can normally be used 35 or 40 times, it costs 2 PP. * If the ability can normally be used 20, 25, or 30 times, it costs 3 PP. * If the ability can normally be used 10 or 15 times, it costs 4 PP. * If the ability can normally be used 5 times, it costs 5 PP. If you use a STAB ability, its PP cost is reduced by 1. = Choose its Masteries! = Pokemon in Pokepocalypse are more unique than in the normal game, especially those controlled by players. While most normal enemies won't possess Masteries (most), all player pokemon gain masteries as they advance in level. How to choose Masteries: What follows is a chart of all Masteries that can be chosen. Each player pokemon gains a Mastery every 5 levels. Masteries must be purchased in order (Tier 1, then Tier 2, then Tier 3). No Tier 3 Masteries can be purchased until at least two Tier 2 Masteries have been purchased. Though Masteries are roughly grouped into four categories, these categories do not impose any restrictions or requirements. = Create its History! = Now that you know what pokemon you're playing and what it does, you can start thinking about where it came from. How were you raised? First, you have to decide if your pokemon was a Trainer Pokemon or a Wild Pokemon. This decision will inform what information your pokemon can be expected to know, as well as help figure out how the gm will introduce you to the campaign. Trainer Pokemon: A trainer pokemon will have been nicknamed by their (now deceased) trainer and can generally be expected to know how human institutions like pokecenters and pokemarts used to work. Specifically they'll know how things like human-created items (Potions, Special Xs, TMs, etc...) work and be able to identify their effects. While trainer pokemon will know how to eat berries and shrooms, they will have a hard time identifying them. Wild Pokemon: A wild pokemon will have named itself or been named by its family and can generally be expected to know how wild places like forests, swamps, and mountains function. Specifically they'll know the difference between different kinds of berries and shrooms and be able to identify their effects. While wild pokemon often understand the idea of human-made items, they generally have trouble using them or identifying them at all. What do you know? While Pokepocalypse does not incorporate a true "Skills" system comparable to D&D and similar RPGs, all pokemon are different and thus have different specializations. There are three different traits a pokemon can have, and each pokemon will have them ranked as Primary, Secondary, or Tertiary. While adventuring, pokemon will face many challenges and will need to use their skills to overcome them. When using its Primary skill, the pokemon will likely succeed. When using its Secondary skill, it will have a decent chance of success. When performing its Tertiary skill, the pokemon has a small chance of success. Perception: The perception skill allows the pokemon to notice and discern information. Whenever a pokemon wants to spot, listen, search, or anything of that sort, whether nearby or at great distance, it uses the perception skill. Knowledge: The knowledge skill allows the pokemon to know and remember information. Whenever a pokemon wants to remember old information, solve a complicated problem, or know unusual information, it uses the knowledge skill. Dexterity: The dexterity skill allows the pokemon to manipulate objects and overcome physical obstacles. Whenever a pokemon wants to open or adjust a complicated mechanism, or move through a physically demanding environment, it uses the dexterity skill. = How does Combat Work? = In Pokepocalypse, many pokemon will participate in combat simultaneously. During each pokemon's turn, it can both Move and Attack. There are various rules governing both parts of a pokemon's turn, explained below. Dice have been added to combat to simulate the inherent chance and randomness of fighting situations. How to Start Combat: Similar to many games, Pokepocalypse incorporates the idea of "initiative." At the start of combat, all pokemon roll a d20 and add their Speed. Pokemon take their turns in order based on the results, unless a pokemon decides to delay until later in the turn order. How to Move: During its turn, a pokemon can move a number of 5 ft squares based on its Speed: * 1-5: One 5 ft square * 6-10: Two 5 ft squares * 11-15: Three 5 ft squares Disengaging Enemy pokemon can block you from leaving melee range. If you want to move away from an adjacent enemy pokemon, it can force you to try and Disengage. To successfully disengage, you must roll a d20 and beat the enemy's Speed (this roll can be modified by abilities and possibly Masteries). Disengaging is done as part of Movement, and an unsuccessful Disengage ends your movement for the turn. The success or failure of a Disengage does not affect a pokemon's ability to attack that turn. How to Attack: * To Attack with an ability, you must be in range of your target and spend PP equal to the ability's PP cost. You can then attempt to hit your target. * To Hit with an ability, roll a d20 and add your Accuracy. You must beat your opponents Evasion. ** Accuracy is determined by the ability you're using and is modified by other abilities (and possibly Masteries). ** Evasion is determined by the target's Speed and is modified by other abilities (and possibly Masteries). Once a pokemon has been hit with an ability, you need to determine damage. * Offense Dice are rolled by the attacking pokemon. You roll a number of Offense Dice equal to the Ability's Damage plus the Attacker's Physical Attack or Special Attack (depending on the ability). You deal damage equal to the number of Successes. ** Successes on an Offense Die are on a 5 or 6. * Resistance Dice are rolled by the attacked pokemon. It rolls a number of Resistance Dice equal to its Physical Defense or Special defense (depending on the ability). It reduces the damage it takes by the number of Successes. ** Successes on a Resistance Die are on a 4, 5, or 6. How to apply Super Effective and Resistant: Super Effective If an ability is super effective, you gain bonus successes based on the base damage of the ability (and possibly Masteries): * 1-5: +1 success * 6-10: +2 successes * 11+: +3 successes If an ability is double super effective, all bonus successes are doubled. Resistant If your target is resistant to an ability, it gains 2 bonus successes on its resistance. If your target is double resistant to an ability, it gains 4 bonus successes on its resistance.